The Captain's Charm
by Eryis
Summary: Freed Justine: infamous captain of the ship Raijinshuu and pirate of the seven oceans. Laxus Dreyar: faceless night in a society he doesn't belong in. Fate brings them together, but will the knight succumb the the captain's charms. [Fraxus]
1. Chapter 1

**The Captain's Charm**

Being a pirate, many aspects of life that the majority of people would consider absurd became normal. Be it the massively strenuous exercise that was performed daily to properly operate a ship, or the sudden surge of aggression and adrenaline that occurred when rivals boarded or attacked your home, everything was different when living on the sea. The moment someone steps aboard a ship with the intention of becoming part of the crew, they leave normality behind them and have to grow to be different.

Freed Justine, Captain of the infamous ship Raijinshuu, was a testament to this.

For most men, being bound to a chair by ropes tied too tightly in the cell of a port town's jail would bring fear. They would listen to the rumours that state jailers were not kind to those imprisoned and would happily lash out physically against them, forcing the captured to make themselves humble and weak to avoid this.

But Freed was not most men. He was a Captain and had faced worse that the simple minded small town folk who had imprisoned him – temporarily of course, even if they didn't yet know that – could possibly begin to imagine. He didn't see the fact he was bound where he sat, despite being caged, as a form of intimidation, but an unintended compliment as to how scare of him they were. He didn't see the silence as sickening or concerning, it was simply a respectful stage for when he eventually chose to speak. His face showed no fear or worry, instead a smirk was plastered upon it as he looked towards the closed door through the bars of his cell.

It was all a power play, the moment his interrogator entered the room, he would be forced into eye contact with a man unlike most. The interrogator would feel uncomfortable and Freed would be established as the one in charge immediately, a useful position to be in when bound and in a cage.

The reason for his arrest had been somewhat irritating. The Raijinshuu had docked in Hargeon, one of the many high-class port towns on Fiore's coast that he used to gather supplies and to allow his crew any excitement or entertainment they so needed that his ship couldn't offer. He had disguised both the ship and himself, claiming to be from a foreign land taking workers to the capital city. He'd altered his appearance accordingly, foregoing the luxuries of his regular clothing for more simple attire that could blend into a crowd. It was a disguise and cover story that had worked countless times and on countless men, many of whom wanted his head on a stick.

Despite the effectiveness of his disguise on most, someone had seen through it. Not anyone who was hunting him, or even anyone of real importance, just some insignificant blonde knight. Freed would have put it down to luck, but the moment the knight looked at him, Freed could see that he knew who he was. He'd considered fleeing, but when the blonde started to push his way through the crowd and he knew it was too late. If Freed ran, he'd draw too much attention on himself and perhaps his crew would be dragged into the mess along side him; a situation much harder to deal with than his own imprisonment.

The Captain absently hoped he hadn't killed someone the blonde knew, and this was revenge of some kind. He really didn't have time for that.

He sat in silence, eyes never leaving the door as he gently tested his bounds. They had been tied down by a different, less diligent member of the jail's workforce who had also spat at him in another failed attempt of intimidation, a small mark of wetness remained on his lower thigh where the spit had landed. The ropes were tight, but even the slight wiggle room was somewhat offensive; his reputation deserved better than that.

When the door eventually opened, Freed was presented with the sight of the blonde man who had led to his capture. Now given more time to look at him, he noticed the scar along his face, his impressive height and, most importantly, his face. He didn't have the sneer of superiority that the other workers had. He was different, something Freed could work with.

"Mr Justine." The blonde began, voice forced into a high-class tone. "The reason you're here-"

"Captain." Freed interrupted, smirking slightly. "If you're going to kill me because of my title, show me a little respect and use it."

Freed's eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed the mans reaction. The blonde had halted and seemed not to have expected any form of resistance, but the way he dealt with it made Freed grin. Instead of sprouting off a tirade which would have lead to Freed being covered in spit – the people on the land seemed to have an obsession with their saliva – the blonde simply brushed it off and spoke calmly. This only further proved Freed's initial assumption that his capturer wasn't the typical knight.

"Captain Justine." The blonde corrected. "You're here as a traitor to the kingdom, for alleged acts of piracy and countless instances of unlawful violence. Because of this, your crimes will be brought to the attention of the law-master, who will decide your fate. With the weight of your crimes, if you're discovered to be guilty, it's likely that you will face punishment through public execution."

"I'm fully aware of what the state wants to do to me. It isn't the first time I've been arrested, probably not the last." Freed's grin was evident in his voice. "What I'm not aware of, Mr Dreyar, is why you're here."

"Why I'm- how d'you know my name?" The blonde demanded, voice slipping into a hoarse, rumbling tone.

"Your colleagues are not discrete." Freed chuckled a little. "They apparently didn't believe that 'Laxus fucking Dreyar' had managed to capture the most wanted pirate to sail the seven oceans in living memory." The blonde's eyebrow seemed to twitch slightly, spurring Freed on. "If it's not too bold to suggest, I think they see you as a lesser man than themselves. Their inferior, perhaps."

Watching the man before him become agitated was a fantastic sight. The blonde had an incredibly expressive face which first became contorted by slightly narrowed eyes, then his mouth showed a slither of his teeth, and finally his eyebrows curved and met in the middle. It was honestly spectacular to see, in such vivid detail, that the large man was unknowingly falling to putty that Freed could use in whatever way he wished.

The blonde picked up the key to the Freed's cell and unlocked the door, entering it. Freed didn't look away as the large blonde got closer so that he was standing tall before him, still maintaining eye contact with him. When Laxus crouched down, clearly trying to emasculate Freed, the pirate could feel the breath on his face with how close they were.

"I don't think you fucking understand." Laxus growled deeply, the previous tone having dropped for what Freed assumed was his real voice. "There's a pretty high chance you're gonna be hung, so don't piss off the people who might be able to save yer life."

There was a moment of silence between the two men, Freed maintaining the antagonising smirk. That seemed to further annoy the blonde man, who's chest was heaving ever so slightly as he glared down the bound man before him. With every exhale, Freed could feel the mans soft breath against his face, most probably another form of intimidation.

"Hanged, not hung." Freed corrected with a grin. "And should I tell you why I'm nor concerned by it? It's because it's not going to happen."

"Really? And how d'you figure that." Laxus grunted after a moment's hesitation.

"Because you have no evidence. Right now, all you've done is arrest a man who you claim is wanted, but you can't prove it." Freed almost chuckled. "You and I both know who I am, but they don't. Your colleagues sounded quite resentful when they found out it was you who found me, would it be so far fetched to think they would utilise the lack of evidence so that they wouldn't look incompetent compared to you."

Laxus' obvious expression of anger faltered slightly, before his eyes narrowed a little more. He stood up tall and walked to the back of the cell with an audible sigh, Freed's eyes never leaving the man. He leant against the cool metal bars and crossed his arms, looking at Freed with a soft glare on his face.

Freed waited in silence, meeting the gaze but softening his expression slightly so it wasn't quite as antagonising. Though it was rare, the few occasions he had been arrested and put on trial, he had made sure never to give anyone of influence any form of evidence as to who he was, so they couldn't lawfully kill him. He had always managed to escape imprisonment before this way out was needed, but it was always important to have a backup plan. He doubted he would need to use the backup as intended with Laxus, however.

The silence lasted for a while. Freed had no doubt that Laxus was thinking over his predicament, trying to come up with some sort of evidence against Freed, but he would come up with none. The town of Hargeon wanted him more than most, so he was infinitely more careful. He would be a free man by the end of the day, no doubt.

"If I may, I have a solution that can benefit us both." Freed continued, the blonde looking down to him with a raised eyebrow. He didn't say anything, most likely to regain power in the conversation, so Freed continued. "I will give you undeniable means to have me charged, hanged and put through whatever form of bodily mutilation your law-maker deems fit, all of which you will be credited for."

"You're gonna sentence yourself to death?" Laxus snorted indignantly. "I ain't fucking stupid, you'll just sell me some shit to make me look like an idiot."

"I can assure you that's not what I want to do; I'll even confess to my crimes before the city if needed. And I don't think you're stupid, Mr Dreyar." Freed grinned a little as he watched Laxus shuffle. "But, for my confession, I want you to answer a question about yourself. And do so honestly, I'll know otherwise."

Again, the cell was filled with silence. Laxus considered the offer for a moment before speaking again.

"You'd give yourself a public execution for a question? Why?"

"Call it a dead mans wish." Freed chuckled. "So, do we have a deal Mr Dreyar?"

Laxus took some time to answer. He kicked himself off the bars he was leaning against and slowly paced back and forth in the cell. He seemed to be in an intense inner quandary, Freed assumed mainly that Laxus didn't trust him and expected him to go back on his agreement. If Freed had misjudged the situation then that doubt would be justified and Freed would have escaped before he had a chance to pay his part of the deal, but he felt confident in his analysis of the other man and how he could be used to his own advantage.

Eventually, Laxus stopped pacing. His face seemed somewhat haggard and troubled, suggesting to Freed that Laxus had decided that he would have to take the lesser option of two evils. Thankfully for the Captain, that lesser evil worked in his favour.

"Swear to God if you're playing me or something."

"Captain's honour." Freed grinned. "So, in return for my testimony, I want to know why you're here."

Another fantastically animated scowl appeared on the mans face, though this time it was one of confusion. It was obvious why, the question was vague and the reason for why he asked it made no sense to anyone other than to Freed, so the blonde was obviously quite suspicious as to what he was answering. Freed wasn't bothered, he knew Laxus wouldn't back down once he made his mind up.

"What d'you mean?" He grunted.

"I mean, Mr Dreyar, why are you here? In this town, this profession, this cell." Freed smiled. "As far as I can see, you're a rejection of everything this town stands for. It's full of pretentious socialites head-to-toe in expensive clothes and jewels. You're a blunt, unadulterated man who doesn't mince his words and wears a coat that must be at least as old as you are. You could conform to this town, you don't.

"I've been aggravating and disrespecting you since you entered. If that happened with your colleagues, they would have beaten me to a bruised pulp. You didn't. Logically, it would have been the best way to get some information from me. The fact you chose not to shows you don't want to be like them. Again, you're rejecting this town and the people with your very existence."

On Laxus' face, there seemed to be a look of realisation forming. Freed watched this with a small amount of curiosity, he had expected that Laxus' denial was done as a constant and intentional act of rebellion. If his contrast with his environment was done subconsciously, it painted Laxus as less of a brat than Freed had expected.

No, he was more of an adventurer. Perhaps he just wasn't aware of it yet.

Laxus shook his head and moved towards the door of the cage, giving Freed the impression that their conversation was over, and he would have to revert back to his plan of escaping. When Laxus picked up the stool resting behind the door, returned to the cage and sat himself a small distance away from the prisoner, Freed smiled. He was starting to get under Laxus' skin, now he needed to execute the plan that was quickly forming with the new information he had about the man.

"Town's full of snooty guys, I just ain't one of 'em. And I ain't about beating up prisoners, whoever they are." Laxus continued. "So what?"

"To fight against your environment like this takes conviction. Nobody could handle that for their whole life." Freed grinned again, looking at Laxus through his hair. "I don't think you're rebelling against what this town stands for. I think you've just prepared yourself to leave it."

"Look kid." Laxus' voice rose nearly to a shout suddenly, and Freed took delight in having ruffled his feathers so much. "You don't know shit about me-"

"The second you saw me you knew who I was. With this disguise, I've walked beside men who would happily rip apart my stomach and watch me bleed out if given the chance. Some of them would be justified in doing so." Freed leant back against his bounded chair. "You, a man who has no reason to know me, could identify me across a busy market square. You knew me Mr Dreyar. Or, perhaps you know what I stand for and what I can offer you."

Standing up again, Laxus began to walk around the cell. As he ran his hand through his hair and slicked it back, Freed felt a small semblance of guilt. He was essentially ripping apart this mans life with realisations that he didn't yet know. But the ends would justify the means.

In the few seconds of pacing, Laxus had considered every possible reaction to this situation. He considered storming out and leaving the prisoner alone, taking his work-mates lead and landing a few punches on him to channel away his annoyance, or just sitting in silence and guarding him as he had been instructed to do. Instead, he steadied his breath to calm down, returned to his place on the stool and looked at the prisoner while hiding his inner confliction.

"Offer me what?" He said as his face contorted into a slight glare.

"Do you have family here? Or anyone you're connected to emotionally?" Freed demanded, holding back the smirk on his face.

"No, not anymore." Laxus looked away slightly. "Why?"

"That sword on your belt." Freed nodded to hilt of the weapon. "Is it just a little toy they give you to make you look tough or can you use it?"

"Course I fucking can. I'm a knight."

"Then here's my proposal." Freed spoke with the smallest of glimmers in his eye. "You can either insist I carry out my side of the deal, have me confess and killed but run the risk of me escaping on your watch and deal with the repercussions. You can live your angry life as you see fit, fighting a losing battle against a society you so obviously don't belong in. Or, you can do what you clearly need to do, and escape this hellhole and join me."

The Captain watched Laxus' face as he processed the offer. It seemed to flash through multiple emotions at once, ranging from anger to exhaustion, but what it settled on was what gave Freed a sense of hope. Tiredness. Perhaps tired of his situation, tired of the battle against fitting in, tired of denying himself.

He opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. Freed watched as a sneer painted itself over the other mans features again, most likely a final defence against the offer. The pirate knew this wasn't the end, Laxus was on the brink of taking the risk and just needed one small push.

"You're fucking with me." Laxus concluded. "You'll have me help get you out, then either kill me or just leave me here."

"Laxus, if I wanted to leave I could have. Same with killing you." Freed spoke with confidence, but the Knight clearly didn't believe him. "These ropes are used in fishing nets, the water made them frayed and split. Given a few minutes, I could tear them apart against the corner edge of the chair. This cell is old and barely used. The lock on the door is rusted and barely functioning, I could easily smash it off with a knife. When you dragged me here, I saw a window overlooking the sea. Water levels were high, I could smash the window, swim out and be on my ship within the hour. I'm as much a prisoner here as you are."

"Nice plan. You don't have a knife." Laxus crossed his arms again.

"Left boot, resting beside my ankle." He nodded to his left leg. "Check if you want."

Laxus hesitantly stood up and walked towards Freed, almost tentative in his actions. He slowly crouched down, making sure to tug on the ropes tying Freed's legs to the chair to make sure they were firmly in place. When he was sure that they were, he reached for the laces of the man's boots.

As Laxus slowly undid Freed's footwear, the Captain carefully picked away at the loosely sown square of fabric in the inside of his right sleeve. Once the small patch of white linin had been worn away enough, he caught the small razor that he had hidden there before it fell to the ground. He slowly began to cut through the rope around his arms, making sure not to alert Laxus as his left hand was freed. He slowly reached for the small, paper thin but effective dagger he kept attached and hidden in the inside of his belt; something the guards probably should had taken away.

Once Laxus had opened the mans boots enough to check the inside of his leg, he saw the knife Freed had spoken of was not there. He growled a little, not happy he had been taken for a fool. He shot his head up to look at Freed.

"You think you're funny-"

The blade of the thin dagger was pressed against the underside of his chin, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to make a point. The entirety of the pirate's upper body was free as he leant forward, a smirk on his face. Laxus looked up at him with what could possibly be fear in his eyes, but Freed noticed a small hint of excitement.

"If you're going to join me, Mr Dreyar, you going to need to trust me a little more. I don't lie to my crew." Freed taunted slightly. "Now do you believe that I could have gotten out of here, and killed you, without needing to offer you a place on my ship?"

"Yes." Laxus said through gritted teeth after a few moments.

"Good." The pirate pushed the blade up slightly, forcing Laxus to look directly at him. "Then you must also realise that my offer was genuine. My ship leaves tonight, with or without you. So, as I said, are you going to spend the rest of your life unfulfilled and denying yourself satisfaction for the lust for adventure we both know you have. Or are you going to do what your heart is telling you to, join the Raijinshuu and start a life you can be proud of?"

The blonde knew what he had to do. He knew he was going to second guess himself if he didn't act quickly. This wasn't going to happen again in his life and he needed to take the opportunity that was given to him. That's what his grandfather would have wanted.

He reached for the small dagger on his belt and tore it through the ropes keeping Freed's legs tied to the chair, the other man looking at him first with curiosity and then with a grin. Both men stood up when the Captain was fully released, Laxus returning the dagger to it's position and Freed tucking his inside his belt. Freed looked at Laxus, a small grin on his face.

"So you'll join me?"

"Well, I guess so." Laxus nodded.

His mind was racing and his blood was pumping. He had just sold his life to that of piracy, danger and unlawfulness. He could no longer be a citizen of any kind anymore, he was an outsider who going to experience a new kind of life entirely. And damn if it wasn't a great feeling. The exhilaration only spurred him on as he smirked, looked to Freed and spoke a word that sealed his face.

"Captain."


	2. Chapter 2

**~One Month Later~**

Sitting in the mess hall of the ship Raijinshuu, Freed smiled thankfully as Kinana placed a bowl of food before him. A small slab of salted beef, a serving of pickled vegetables and a freshly baked potato with a healthy serving of butter, all covered in a thin, watery broth made from the meat's juices. The rest of the crew, other than the cooks themselves, were already demolishing their meals; Freed always insisted he was served last.

For most, they would see this meal as poor quality and lacking any taste, but not the members of the Raijinshuu. They had been at sea without docking for a full month, so their food supplies had been running low. Thankfully, and by blind luck, they had come across a food transportation ship that they had managed to board and plunder, so their supplies had been greatly replenished. When compared to what they had been forced to eat over the last week, the bowl of meat, potato and vegetables was seen as a true feast.

Since leaving Hargeon Port a month ago, the Raijinshuu had experienced a stream of good luck. There had been no bad storms to contend with, any meetings with other ships had ended in their favour, and his crew were all healthy and in high spirits, including the blonde straggler he had picked up from Hargeon Jail.

The blonde straggler Freed was now starting to believe was his lucky charm.

Glancing towards his newest crewmate, he grinned. Laxus was engaged in an animated conversation with Bickslow, one of his two quartermasters – the other being a fierce woman named Evergreen - and the man who had first assisted Freed when he began his life of piracy. The Captain was glad to see his newest recruit getting along well with the crew, also glad that he had so quickly adapted to the lifestyle on the seas.

Freed had seen potential in the man after his first week. While most people had trepidation and thought they had made a mistake after joining a ship, thus meaning they had to take time to adapt, Laxus had thrown himself into the lifestyle completely, perhaps trying to prove his worth. It worked as Freed gave him the position of boatswain, meaning he was one of the junior supervisors of the ship and that had been exceptionally good at what he did, all while getting respect from many of the members of the crew. Some had been hesitant with how quick Laxus had earned that position, but the month had proven he was qualified. Even if Natsu did insist on duelling to take his place, something Freed had to stop from happening.

Tearing into the meat before him, Freed felt content. He knew his good luck could only last for so long and, sooner or later, something would go wrong. He needed to make sure he enjoyed the calmness before it faded.

However, as both the sea and fate were cruel mistresses, that break in the calmness came much sooner than he had expected. Romeo, a powder monkey and one of the youngest members of the crew, had run into the mess-hall while he and his group of gunners were on watch, something Freed was thankful for when the young man yelled.

"Captain, we're in chase." The room fell near silent at the proclamation. "From the rear, same size as us. Sending warning fire, probably trying to board us."

"Shit." Freed muttered, standing up with the chair falling to the ground. The room looked towards him. "To your stations!"

The room sprung to life. The majority of the crew lurched towards the door to the mess hall that lead to the main deck, where they would be positioned for the upcoming battle. Some members of the crew, mainly those who cooked or cleaned, went towards another room on the other side of the mess hall where they could be safe; they could protect themselves as good as any other, but Freed claimed that if he expected them to cook and care for such a large crew, he shouldn't also expect them to put their lives in danger as well. Some people were resentful of this, but nobody dared to second-guess their Captain about his tactics. Mostly.

When the Captain went towards the door to the main deck, he noticed that Romeo was also going towards there. He grabbed the young mans shoulder and turned him around, a glare on his face. Romeo matched it.

"You do not engage up close." Freed said sternly. "You're not ready to fight. You are to remain safe in the living quarters unless completely needed."

"I'm a man, Captain. I'm old enough to-"

"If you believe that you are a man and old enough to fight, Romeo, then by all means do so." Freed snapped "But know that, when this battle is over, you will be treated the same as any other man who disrespects me by going against my orders."

After scowling at the older man, Romeo turned and stormed towards the door Mirajane was holding open for him. Freed turned to see Macao looking at him, mouthing a thank you. It had been Romeo's father's wishes that his son be kept out of face to face combat until he was eighteen. Freed considered this wasted potential, the fifteen year old could handle himself fine, but it was his father's wishes and Freed would respect them. The Captain nodded to his crewmate and walked to the deck, removing his cutlass from his belt and grasping it tightly.

When he walked on deck, he saw the evening was falling and sky getting darker. A ship was quickly approaching, utilising the wind as it got closer. It was a little smaller than The Raijinshuu, so there would be no point in trying to flee. Not that he was intending to anyway.

As the ship got closer, he realised that there were no canons on the side of it. The deck was filled with yelling men, many of whom were shooting towards their ship with whatever guns they held, more a form of intimidation than anything else. These were people who enjoyed the rush of murder and would be well versed in physical combat. This was a dangerous situation.

"Canons!" He yelled, getting the attention of the ships gunners. "We don't aim to sink it. Stop its defences then stop the crew from boarding us. These men live with the mentality that dead men tell no tales. Give them the means to retreat, it'll be over faster than having to kill each of them."

The gunners nodded and began to prepare their weapons, making sure to aim well as the ship approached. Soon, the sound of cannonballs exploding and flying towards the other ship began to fill the air. The silence was overturned with the hellish symphony of battle, explosions and sharp yelling from those who had the authority. The other ship was getting closer and closer, the carnage would soon begin.

Freed caught a glance of Laxus, who was grasping his own cutlass in preparation for the boarding. The man was showing no fear, but Freed knew better. Everyone was scared at that time, and Laxus had more reason to than most. He had never experienced something like this and didn't know what to expect. Knowing that there was nearly a minute before boarding, he walked towards the blonde man. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, snapping him out of his own mind. He sent him a small smile before the frown returned to his features.

"Are you okay?" Freed questioned.

"Yes Captain." Laxus said instantly. Freed dug his fingers into the man shoulders, making him flinch. "A little nervous."

"Don't be." Freed said sternly. "You're a strong, capable man. Keep your eyes open, remember your training and follow what your instincts say, you'll be fine if you do. I don't let my crew die, certainly not on board my ship."

Laxus nodded, Freed removing his hand from his shoulder. The Captain walked to the side of the Raijinshuu, facing the ship as it caught up beside them. He faced his enemies head on, glancing to the body of the other ship. His gunners had done as he demanded and were damaging any prefixed guns and weapons on the ship, but never landing any hits that would render the ship useless. His enemies could never feel helpless, that would lead to desperation and brutality.

Within a flash, large plants of wood were raised in the air of the other ship. On metal hinges, they swung down and fell towards The Raijinshuu, creating wooden walkways over the ocean to connect the two ships. The ships were perfectly distanced for the planks to bridge the gap, telling Freed the people of the other ship knew exactly what they were doing.

Before Freed could give an order to his crew, the opposing pirates began to clamber across the pathways. They showed no signs of hesitancy, the swaying waves not making them stumble as they made their way across the panels. Freed glanced to see some of his crew pushing against the panels, trying to knock them off the ship's side and taking the invaders with it. The panels wouldn't budge, and Freed could see that they were firmly fixed in place on the other ship.

"Prepare yourselves." Freed yelled in a break of the canons. "Keep the gunners safe. Gunners aim for the bridges, try breaking them."

The crew followed his demands. Small groups crowded around the gunners, who were moving the canons so they aimed towards the planks of wood. Freed suspected they wouldn't be able to do much, the other ship was too good to have such an obvious weakness, but if even one of the bridges were to fall it would help immensely.

Freed turned quickly when he heard the sound of metal clashing with metal. Some of the other crew were already aboard his ship and fighting. Freed rushed towards where this had happened, noticing that they seemed to care more about fighting people than they did about getting anything from the ship. They were savages, and this was sport to them. That suited Freed fine, he didn't have to worry about them taking any of their treasure nor supplies. All he needed to do was to get the bastards off of his ship.

He raised his cutlass and swiped it down, cutting against the stomach of a member of the other crew. Taking the moment of shock in the other man to his advantage, he slammed the hilt of his sword against the mans head. Now dazed, the man was easily overpowered and thrown from the ship and into the cold ocean. Freed could hear the yell as salt water filled the man's wound.

"Focus on getting them off the boat!" He yelled.

He jogged towards the nearest and largest plank of wood, wiping his sword down and brandishing it. When he saw Loke unaware that a blunderbuss was aimed towards his back, Freed stormed forward and placed his sword against the other mans throat. He pulled him back enough to make the shot of the gun miss and slam into a member of the opposing crew. The injured man staggered back and was quickly taken care of by Elfman, who tossed him into the ocean and gained a similar, if not worse, reaction of the cold, salty water coming into contact with his flesh.

Before Freed could do anything to the man whose throat rested against his blade, another member of the crew slammed his elbow into Freed's stomach. The Captain lurched slightly, giving the other man the chance to break free. Freed watched as he turned, aimed the weapon towards him and pulled the trigger.

A member of Freed's crew was pushed against the gunman, ruining his aim. The pellets from the blunderbuss mainly landed on the deck of the ship, but two of them ripped through the material of Freed' trousers and forced into the flesh of his upper thigh. Freed had to hold back a yell of pain, quickly removing a dagger tucked inside his belt and throwing it down, forcing itself way through the mans foot and pinning him to where he stood.

As the man yelled in pain, Freed stumbled forward slightly and slammed his shoulder into the mans chest. He quickly removed the mans gun from him and tossed it overboard. The Captain grasped his thigh, looking to Loke after he dealt with an opposing member of the crew. Loke immediately began to wrestle down the man who had shot his Captain.

"Shit." Freed muttered as he removed his hand from his thigh and saw blood. He would have to deal with it later.

Now sporting a limp, he glanced towards the other ship. It was still filled with jeering and yelling pirates who were barging their way towards the planks of wood connecting the two ships. The Raijinshuu was barely managing to cope with the pirates already aboard the ship, to have the entirely of the other crew would inevitably lead to their defeat. Freed wasn't going to accept this. He needed to break the planks of wood somehow, which would turn the tides completely.

The canons weren't working, the planks of wood had been strategically placed in a way that the canons limited field of targeting couldn't hit them. He couldn't move them, they had been bolted up on the other ship meaning they were rigid, nothing was going to change that. He couldn't move the ship either, by the time they'd gotten into an angle where they could remove themselves from the planks, the smaller ship would have realised what they were doing and would have made actions to counter them, not to mention more of the hoards would have boarded.

"Captain!" Laxus' voice could be heard over the sound of fighting, clashing swords and explosions.

Freed turned his head towards the sound, only to be pounced on by the blonde man and tackled to the ground. The Captain looked at his crewmate in confusion, watching as Laxus leapt up and tackled a man with a steaming gun, forcing a dagger into his stomach. Freed saw the pellets of a gun imbedded into the post he had been standing before. If Laxus hadn't tackled him, they would have hit him on the side of the head.

Freed stood up quickly, wincing in pain at the wounds in his thigh. He watches as Laxus removed his dagger from the man's upper body and tossed him overboard. The blonde turned back to Freed, walking back to him. Freed scanned the area, sending a quick glance towards his saviour.

"Thank you." He muttered, watching as his crew defended themselves. "We need to deal with the bridges. Any ideas?"

"D'you see where they were stored." Laxus said, motioning to the other boat. "They're taller than the main body of the boat, we didn't see them sticking as they approached. Must have been slightly submerged in the water right, so they can be pulled up to board other ships."

"Probably, why?"

"They're not the thickest planks and being in water so much might have damaged them." Laxus was panting slightly. "With a sword sharp enough and some power behind it, you could probably cut through it and make them useless."

"You think you could do that yourself?" Freed demanded, looking to the planks of wood that were heavily populated by the other crew.

"Get those guys off 'em, sure."

Glancing down at the slightly dulled sword Laxus had ended up with – they hadn't had time to get him a quality blade – Freed knew this was the best shot he had. He wordlessly tossed his own blade, which he sharpened daily, towards his crewmate and watched him catch it with ease. Freed removed the musket from his belt and brandished it.

"Do you trust me to keep them off you?" Freed demanded, Laxus nodding. "Good. Duck."

The blonde did so immediately, crouching down when he saw Freed raise his weapon. A member of the other crew had charged towards them with his sword raised, almost defiantly intended to kill Laxus. Instead, he was met with a shoulder filled with musket ammo. He staggered back slightly into the arms of Cana, who made quick work of the man. Freed nodded to her, offering Laxus a hand to pull himself up.

"We're going to deal with the bridges." He told Cana, walking forward. "Keep them off us for as long as you can."

She nodded and rushed forward, instructing other members of The Raijinshuu to help the two of them. Freed and Laxus soon followed her, walking to the widest and most populated plank of wood that was being used to board the ship.

Freed jumped onto the side of ship, one hand grabbing rope for balance while the other aimed towards the men on the plank with his gun. He immediately began to shoot at the men who were trying to board his ship, making them stumble backwards and fall off the plank. For those that didn't fall from the backlash of the gun, he leant forward and slammed the butt of the gun against them and knocked them off manually.

Using Freed's sword, Laxus began to hack at the wooden plank that had been revealed by the lack of people. The sharp blade cut into the wood fairly well, making sharp indents in the damp, rotting old wood. Laxus had a glare on his face as he put as much effort into each swing that he could, making sure that the slashes of the sword all went to deepen the single groove to quickly remove the plank.

Although the plank of wood was somewhat clear, the crew of the enemy ship were starting to realise what was happening. They were soon charging across the plank and towards Laxus. Freed realised shooting them as they came wasn't going to work, so let go of the rope he was holding for leverage and jumped in front of Laxus, landing on the very plank of wood than his crewmate was trying to destroy. He pulled a dagger out of his belt again and stood firm, ready to fight off any of the assailants running towards him.

"This is gonna go any minute." Laxus yelled to his Captain. "I won't be able to know when exactly, you might fall in."

"Then don't let me." Freed yelled from over his shoulder.

Laxus paused for a moment, before deciding to go along with what his Captain wanted. He continued hacking away at the wood, continually glancing up at Freed. When he did, he was shocked with what he saw.

It was now clear to the blonde why Freed was the Captain of his own ship. Not only was he putting himself in danger for the majority of the crew, he could also defend himself without any difficulty at all. Even using his non-dominant hand, his dagger was cutting into the opposing men and allowing him to push them off with ease. Any time a man was close to him, Freed could easily overpower them no matter their size. The fluidity of his movements and power behind them told Laxus many things, one being that Freed was not someone to be messed with.

With another sharp slam of his sword against the wood, Laxus noticed it began to splinter. The blunt attacks he had caused mixed with the weight of Freed and the other ship's crew going towards that end of the plank meant it wasn't going to last long. He looked up to Freed quickly, who was wrestling a man out of his way.

"It's going- shit!"

Laxus watched as the plank tore apart, Freed still on it. It started to fall to the sea, taking all the men with it. The blonde quickly leant over and grasped Freed by the wrist, stopping him from falling into the ocean filled with men who wanted him dead. Freed quickly grasped his hand on Laxus' upper arm and they both worked to pull him back on board. It was a struggle – and Laxus had to conclude Freed was made entirely out of muscle with the effort needed – but his Captain was soon back on the deck. He was even laughing slightly.

"You're fucking insane." Laxus panted.

"Absolutely." Freed chuckled. "But I'm still your Captain and expect you to treat me as such. We should start on the other bridges."

After nodding, Laxus and Freed began to run towards one of the other planks of wood. As they approached, they heard the sound of cracking followed by another loud splash. They looked to the plank to see it had plunged into the water in the same way the centre plank had moments ago. They looked to see Erza holding her sword and crouching down in a similar position to what Laxus had been in. They must have seen what their Captain and the blonde had been doing and replicated it, using more than just one person as a defence.

Both men turned to see that the final plank of wood had been given the same treatment, with Gajeel slashing at the wood until it, too, fell and created a large splash. Looking towards the other ship, they could see that the bridges were their only way of getting onto other ships. They were helpless now.

Freed saw the Captain of the other ship barking orders, demanding to get any many of the crew out of the water and for them to flee. Freed's jaw clenched slightly, if the Captain was going to instruct they massacre The Raijinshuu, he should have been on board as well instead of cowering behind his mass of men. Freed was of the belief that, not only should a Captain go down with his ship, but he should also be at the forefront of any battle.

The captain looked around his own ship when he heard the sounds of fighting stop. Most of the enemy crew had either been defeated by his own crew or were fleeing by jumping off the ship themselves. By the looks of the deck, nobody had been badly hurt somehow. Maybe Freed's spell of good luck wasn't over yet.

As he walked towards Laxus, the Captain wondered if he really was good luck for him

"Your first real fight. Are you okay?" He asked the blonde, who was still panting.

"Think so." Laxus nodded. "Not what I expected. But I made it through with just a couple cuts and bruises."

"I'm glad." Freed smiled. "Which reminds me…"

Freed took Laxus' hands and bowed slightly, pressing his lips against the mans knuckles in a soft kiss. Laxus looked down at the gesture with confusion evident on his face but didn't pull his hand away. The Captain slowly stood up straight again, smirking a little at the clear confusion on his cremates face.

"You've saved my life twice within the hour, Mr Dreyar." He grinned. "There are very few men I would bow for, let alone kiss their hands. Consider this a worthy thank you."

Though he would deny it, Laxus had a small blush form on his cheeks, a blush Freed quite enjoyed being the cause of. But, before he could do anything else to further enjoy his lucky charm, he had to deal with the ship still opposite The Raijinshuu. He walked to the centre of the main deck, all eyes on him as he gathered the attention. A smirk fell onto his face as he turned towards the other ship, who were failing to escape as fast as their vocal Captain was happy with.

"Canons." He yelled, seeing the Captain of the other ship turn to him. His smirk increased. "Blow them to hell."


	3. Chapter 3

**~One Year Later~**

There were few things Freed loved more than a rainy night. The sensation of the waves gently rocking the ship as he tried to sleep and the sound of soft pattering against the wooden ceiling above him combined to create a relaxing sensation that could only be described as heavenly to the pirate Captain. For many years, he had believed that a rainy night was something that could not be improved upon. But, much to his pleasure, there was one thing that could make a rainy night aboard The Raijinshuu perfect.

Sharing his bed with Laxus Dreyar.

The blonde man was sleeping softly beside his Captain, breath calm as he hugged the pillow he was holding. Freed lay next to him, watching him with tired eyes as he tried to lull himself to sleep, which was proving difficult when sleeping meant he would have to deny himself the sight of his sleeping lover.

Throughout their year at sea together, the two men had seemingly gotten closer every day. They had learnt that they worked well together both in the physical work that running a ship required and in combat; that they had a similar sense of humour and enjoyed sarcastic comments and snarky remarks; and that, in many ways, they were similar to each other despite their differences. It was unexpected given how they had met, but it seemed to most that the two men completed each other in a way that was practically indescribable.

Their romantic relationship had been an oddity. The majority of the crew had claimed the two flirted with each other much longer before either man came to realise their feelings. They had only taken the step to make their relationship romantic after a drunken night of celebration, in which the alcohol had lead to them to spend the night together. After waking up in Freed's bed, they had both decided that the crew had been correct in their assessment that they flirted with and that they perhaps had feelings for each other. Although they had considered forgetting the night had happened, they eventually decided that romance wasn't a regular occurrence in their lifestyle and, as it had presented itself to them so clearly, they should see what would happen if they embraced it.

After that decision, they hadn't looked back.

Freed smiled softly, placing his hand gently on Laxus' scarred face as he stirred. His lover seemed to shift into the hand, eyes slowly batting open in a way that only someone who had awoken prematurely could. Despite squinting, he could see Freed's face illuminated by the flickering candle secured overhead.

"Hey." He croaked, sighting slightly and rubbing a hand over his face. "It ain't time to get up, is it?"

"No, if I were to guess I'd say it's three in the morning." Freed smiled, admiring the soft, tired expression of the other mans face. "You should probably be sleeping. We're in port tomorrow and I've got you down for loading with Elfman."

"Seriously?" Laxus groaned, lying back on the pillow he had been grasping, though still looking to Freed. "Don't I get special treatment or some shit that means I don't need to do heavy lifting in the morning."

"You know I can't have a favourite member of crew, Laxus." Freed chuckled, leaning over and planting a soft kiss on Laxus' lips. "Well, I can. I just can't let you abuse it."

Laxus scowled slightly, but still leant up and returned the kiss. The two men shifted position, Laxus wrapping an arm around Freed's shoulders and pulling his Captain a little closer. Freed dragged the silk sheets over them both so that the chill of the night wasn't too distracting. Freed closed his eyes, allowing the gentle patter of the rain, the sway of the ship and the heat coming from Laxus' body relax him slightly.

They stayed in this position for a short while, Laxus absently playing with Freed's hand after taking hold of it. The blonde now took the chance to admire his partner, basking in how beautiful he looked when relaxed and illuminated by candle light. It was a rare sight, but one he treasured.

"Why are you awake?" Laxus questioned after some time, Freed opening his eyes to look at him.

"Living like this, there's so few moments of pure tranquillity." Freed smiled, moving the hand Laxus was holding to his chest. "I sometimes wake up early in the morning and, being presented with you in such a state, I thought I might as well make the most of it."

Laxus chuckled and allowed Freed to pull his hand to his lips and kiss his knuckles, a gesture of endearment that the Captain did often. The two men shuffled closer still, Freed smiling softly as Laxus released his hand and wrapped it around the other man's waist, also pressing his lips against Freed's forehead, something he had taken to doing to return the constant kisses he received on his knuckles.

"And I like the rain." Freed continued, enjoying the feeling of Laxus gently stroking his thigh with his thumb. "Except when it's trying to capsize the ship, but that rarely happens."

"Thankfully. And I used to love the rain. Thought it was relaxing." Laxus smiled a little. "Then I turned into an adult and joined the army. They make it pretty clear that you don't have the time for small things like that anymore."

"Well, you're not in the army anymore." Freed smiled. "And I encourage my crew to enjoy small things. What's the point in traveling if you can't see wonder in the world?"

"Good point." Laxus grinned.

"We could go out, if you'd like." Freed offered, looking up at Laxus from under his arm. "We're both awake and it would be nice to have some time alone outside of the cabin. If you want, of course." 

"Yeah." Laxus nodded with a smile. "That sounds great."

The two men removed themselves from their bed and dressed themselves in the clothes they had discarded earlier in the night, though deciding to forego their weaponry. Both men also wrapped themselves in their coats, Laxus wearing a blue one with leather trimmings similar in style to Freed's; the Captain had brought it for his partner after realising his birthday had come and gone without the blonde mentioning it. Even though he claimed it wasn't needed, Laxus had been thankful and admitted it was much warmer than the patchwork coat he had previously worn.

They soon left the cabin, Freed holding a lantern which he doubted he would need. That was one advantage of living in the sea, the stars could still be seen at all time, even under a layer of clouds. They soon reached the door to the deck and walked out.

Both men took a few moments to acclimatise to the brisk air and the rain slamming against their heads. The weather was much more extreme that either man expected, with a heavy downpour showing no sign of stopping. Thunder boomed across the quiet sky and in the far distance, lighting was slamming against the ocean. It all made for a beautiful atmosphere.

Carefully walking across the rocking, rain covered deck, they made their way towards the side of the ship facing the far-off lighting storm. Freed carefully hooked the lantern below the barrier to illuminate the area slightly, leaning on the edge of the ship and watching the chaotic mess of lightning. Laxus stood behind him, wrapping his arm around Freed's shoulders as he also leant against the side of the ship and looked towards the storm.

"When I was a kid, my granddad told me stories about lighting." Laxus said slowly. "Used to tell me that there it came from some big dragon in the sky. That it was killed by some hero and the bolts of lightning were all that remained."

Freed looked away from the storm and towards his partner. Laxus rarely spoke about his grandfather, who Freed had discovered was the man's only real guardian. He also had found out that he had been a good man who Laxus had a lot of respect for but had died earlier in the year when the two men met. Although he had never voiced it, Freed felt that part of Laxus' justification for leaving his life behind to join The Raijinshuu was to escape the reality of what happened with his grandfather.

"He told me that the hero was some wizard and had managed to trap the dragon's soul in a glass bottle which he used to summon bolt of lightning that he could control." Laxus laughed a little. "I used to run around and call myself the dragon-slayer. Pretended I could shoot lightning out of my hands."

"It was a cute sight, I imagine." Freed laughed.

"Not really. I was seventeen." Laxus grinned a little when he saw Freed's head shoot towards him. "Kidding. But yeah, I used to promise gramps I'd sail the seas, find that bottle and become the new hero. Seems stupid now."

"I don't think so." Freed smiled. "As I said, what's the point in traveling if you can't see the wonder in the world. For all we know, that story might be true and one day we'll stumble upon a bottle bursting with magic that will turn you into a wizard."

"Makes as much sense as me being on a pirate ship and dating the Captain." Laxus grinned. "But knowing you, if we ever did find it, you'd put me on cleaning duty and I'd be plunging the shitter when you dig it up."

Freed couldn't stop himself from laughing at that, shuffling slightly so he was closer to the other man. Under his arm, Freed felt an odd sense of comfort. He had never been uncomfortable before meeting Laxus – he had been confident in any situation, it was a requirement of being a Captain – but Laxus just made life feel better in a way that was hard to put into words. He just made everything feel that little bit more warm, as if he were an extra layer of safety for the Captain he hadn't previous known he wanted.

They fell into silence again, watching the storm beat down against the ocean and split apart the sky with booming thunder. Freed reached into his pocket and pulled out a hair tie, planning to tie his hair back in a high ponytail so he could see clearly. Laxus sees the hair tie, took it from him and tied his hair up himself.

Once his hair was completely out of his face and Laxus had returned to his previous position, Freed rested his head on his lover's shoulder. He allowed a soft smile onto his face as Laxus pressed his lips against his wettened hair.

"Laxus." Freed said after a few more minutes of silence.

"Yeah." Laxus looked down towards him with a small arch in his eyebrow.

"I'm in love with you."

The blonde's eyes widened slightly at the proclamation. Despite them being together for the better part of a year, they had never mentioned anything about love. The fact that it had seemingly come from nowhere shocked the blonde, filling him with an odd sensation of nervousness that was tinged with apprehensive excitement. The same feeling he'd had when he had accepted the invitation to become part of Freed's crew. The same feeling he'd had when waking up next to Freed for the first time. The same feeling he'd had whenever anything good had happened in his life since meeting Freed

The Captain looked down slightly when Laxus hadn't said anything. The blonde noticed this and quickly corrected it, gently taking the mans chin with his thumb and finger and tilting it up to create eye contact between them both. Just a look in the mans eyes told Laxus everything he needed to know.

"I am so fucking in love with you, too." He said with as much sincerity he could. "More than your smug ass deserves."

Freed laughed, but was quickly cut off by Laxus' lips on his own. Lighting struck the ocean as they connected, tongues colliding as they kissed each other deeply with passion. Laxus' hands slid down Freed's sides, eventually resting on his hips as Freed's hands gently explored Laxus' wet hair. The blonde pulled Freed a little closer, grinning as the storm around them seemed to fade away and their existence was limited to just each other.

Eventually, they were forced to pull apart for breath. Neither pulled back more than needed, Laxus gently running his nose over the mans features and peppering soft kisses on whatever skin was presented to him. Freed laughed lightly and pulled back, after delivering one soft kiss to the man's lips again.

"We should probably return to bed." Freed chuckled softly, resting his head against Laxus'. "We do have a busy day, and if we're both yawning we'll have to deal with the questions about what we do in the night again."

"Yeah, don't wanna go through that. Shame though, it's kinda romantic out here." Laxus chuckled. "But can't ignore Captains orders, can I?"

Freed chuckled a little, laying a small punch against Laxus' chest; he had instructed the other man not to call him Captain when they were alone, not wanting to have any power over the blonde in their more compassionate moments. For the most part, Laxus agreed and stuck to their agreement, but occasionally brought up Freed's title in a teasing way. The pirate wasn't entirely against that, as long as it remained only used in that context.

The two men turned towards the door, Freed unhooking the lantern and both walking slowly across the unstable deck. Laxus returned his arm around Freed's shoulders again, stroking him softly with his thumb; another form of intimacy that was more subtle than more, but appreciated.

Just as Freed reached for the door handle, a loud booming sound sliced through the air. It was louder than the regular thunder and coupled with the sound of crackling. They both turned around and looked back to where the storm had been, seeing a large fire floating on the water. With a quick glance of confusion shared, the two men began to walk back to where they had leant, Freed pulling the telescope from his inner pocket.

"It's a ship." Freed said, one eye closed as he looked through the device. "Must have been struck by lightning. Sail's on fire."

"Shit." Laxus whistled. "Think we should help 'em."

"The rain will do more than we can, it'll be extinguished within the hour." Freed slowly turned the telescope, getting a better look at the ship. "Besides, they have life boats they're using. Land isn't too far away, they should be fine."

Laxus nodded, turning so he could walk back. He took a few steps before realising that Freed wasn't following him, so looked over his shoulder to see Freed still using the telescope; Laxus could also see the grin on his lover's face. The blonde walked forward and placed a hand on Freed's shoulder, who removed the telescope from his eye and grinned at him.

"You not coming back?"

"That ship is a guard ship." Freed said, devilish tone not hidden. "It's completely abandoned, filled with supplies and in the middle of the ocean. For the time it takes for the crew to row back and to alert the authorities to what happened, enough time will have elapsed for the fire to have been put out by the rain and for us to get there, take anything that we wish and return to this very spot as to not look suspicious."

Laxus glanced towards the large mass of fire across the darkened horizon. He knew just what would be on a ship like that, he'd spent time on them himself when he had worked as a knight in Hargeon and knew how much could be taken there. It would not only greatly help their funds as they wouldn't have to buy nearly as much from the town they would soon dock in, they would also find fresh weapons and multiple objects that could be sold. It was a great opportunity, even if the situation wasn't the safest.

"You wanna raid a burning ship at midnight in the middle of a lightning storm?" Laxus smiling a little at the absurdity of the idea, despite the fact he wanted to do it just as much as Freed seemed to.

"I've done things much more dangerous." Freed grinned. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, Laxus. We'd be fools not to take it, even if there is a risk."

"That's true." Laxus matched Freed's grin. "And after we have a deep conversation about lightning, it practically gives us a gift like that. Maybe the heroes alive, might be giving us a sign this is what we need to do."

"For all we know, the bottled lightning might be on there." Freed smirked. "Imagine letting that sink to the bottom of the ocean."

With a simple exchanged glance, both men had their minds made up. Freed pocketed his telescope again while Laxus walked to a large bell that acted as a call to arms. He rung it loudly, wincing as the powerful ringing sound overpowered the thunder and lightning. The two men grinned at each other, looking towards the flaming ship in the distance.

"The crew is gonna be pissed." Laxus chuckled.

"That they will." Freed's smirk didn't leave his face. "But they'll get over it, even if it ends up with us two loading alone tomorrow. But that'll be worth it."

While Laxus didn't particularly agree with this, he couldn't deny that the sight of his lover's excitement mixed with the exhilaration he always got when boarding a ship certainly took the dread out of the inevitable morning from hell. Both men got to their stations beside each other, so they could address the crew when they came. Freed glanced towards Laxus with a grin.

"Ready to wield your god given right to become the Dragon-Slayer and summoner of lightning, as well as being my Lucky Charm?"

Laxus laughed at the comment. He nodded with a wide grin.

"Yes sir, Captain."


End file.
